Malaysia’s Surge in Censorship Requests Signals Growing Clampdown on Digital Speech
Malaysia filed over 2,200 takedown requests to TikTok in 2023, rising 40% to 2,606 in the first half of 2024. Meta platforms saw nearly 8,600 content restrictions in 2023, a 15-fold jump from 2022, with 4,700 posts removed in H2 alone.
Malaysia filed over 2,200 content removal requests to TikTok in 2023—up from just 70 in 2022—making it the world leader in takedown demands on the platform. Meanwhile, Meta platforms saw more than 4,700 items restricted in the second half of 2023 alone, a significant rise from under 600 the previous year.
This surge reflects broader government efforts to regulate online discourse amid growing political and social pressures. Using existing laws such as the Communications and Multimedia Act and the Sedition Act, authorities have expanded oversight of online posts, sparking concerns among digital rights advocates about impacts on free expression.
Speech clampdown
The regulatory shift is set to intensify with new social media licensing requirements effective January 2025. Platforms with over eight million Malaysian users must obtain a government license, facing compliance obligations and fines of up to RM1 million (~US$225,000).
In 2025 so far, TikTok has removed more than 76,000 pieces of harmful content in Malaysia following government requests. Authorities have also pressed Meta and TikTok to respond more quickly to flagged material, with both companies under continued regulatory scrutiny.
For Malaysians, the tighter rules raise questions about the future of open online discussion, while also creating uncertainty for businesses and digital creators reliant on social media platforms. Observers note that parliamentary debates and platform responses in the coming months will shape both Malaysia’s digital economy and its online political discourse.
Johan Chairil